The present invention relates to a graphic processing apparatus for processing graphic data stored in a memory, and in particular, to a graphic processing apparatus in which the number of memories to be employed can be reduced so as to minimize the size of the processing apparatus.
For example, the Japanese Patent Publication JP-A-60-136793 describes a graphic processing apparatus in which characters and graphic data are generated in a display memory (frame buffer) so as to be delivered to output devices such as a display and a printer. In this conventional example, a high-speed graphic drawing operation is achieved by use of a method in which data bits constituting at least one pixel are packed in a word so as to be stored in the memory. In contrast with the prior method in which information of a pixel requires a plurality of words, this method allows accessing of the memory in the unit of a word (16 bits); in consequence, by packing information of a pixel in a single word, at least one pixel can be updated through one access, which therefore increases the processing speed.
In the conventional example above, although the memory is connected to a 16-bit data bus, the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) generally possesses a 1-bit or 4-bit data bus, and hence at least four to 16 memory elements are required, which prevents the apparatus from being miniturized.
In addition, the Japanese Patent Publication JP-A-60-225888 describes an apparatus including a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) having a nibble function (one of consecutive data read functions); however, description has not been given of a combination with a graphic processor in which data are accessed in a parallel fashion.
Moreover, in the Japenese Patent Publication JP-A-55-129387, there is described a system for transferring serial data between a processor and an external device; however, parallel data access is carried out between the processor and a memory.